December 2002

The Blades were unable to get the better of 10-man Coventry at Bramall Lane but extended their unbeaten run to 11 games. Both sides enjoyed their share of chances but goalkeepers Paddy Kenny, of United, and Morten Hyldgaard, of Coventry, were in fine form. The first-half was a frantic, end-to-end affair with United's Michael Brown denied by Hyldgaard, and Coventry's Dean Holdsworth foiled by Kenny. Blades boss Neil Warnock recalled Michael Tonge to the team and he went close twice, first shooting wide before volleying over the crossbar. United almost broke the deadlock in the 15th minute, Michael Brown unleashing a stinging drive from 25 yards, Morten Hyldgaard could only block the shot and defender Mo Konjic managed to clear with a stooping header ahead of Wayne Allison. Dean Holdsworth then cut in from the right flank to finish with a strike from 15 yards that was tipped round the far post by the diving Paddy Kenny. The visitors suffered a blow in the closing minutes of the half when Craig Hignett was taken off with an ankle injury. Coventry's Jay Bothroyd produced a shot in first-half injury time, the ball curling for the top corner until Kenny stuck out a hand to palm it clear of the far post. The Blades were again on the offensive after the break but Hyldgaard was twice on hand, first blocking a shot from Ndlovu and then keeping out Brown's header. A powerful header from Tonge also went over the bar. The Sky Blues were increasingly under pressure and Phil Jagielka headed wide twice, first from Tonge's corner and then when Robert Page swung in a free-kick. Steven Kabba was then substituted by Paul Peschisolido joining the Blades frontline. But as soon as Coventry's Dean Gordon was dismissed The Sky Blues clearly decided they would hang on for a draw. United continued resolutely, trying to find a way through Coventry's massed defensive ranks. Tonge again forced a diving save from Hyldgaard, who also kept out Wayne Allison's header. United's McCall also shot high and Brown fired wide but Coventry managed to hang on for a draw.

Michael Brown scored a spectacular goal as The Blades climbed into third place in Division One. Walsall had won their last four at home, but failed to take advantage when Jon Harley was sent-off with the match still goalless. And Walsall goalkeeper Gavin Ward was far busier than Paddy Kenny. Shaun Murphy's header, Carl Asaba's close-range effort and Ndlovu's shot were all saved by the busy Saddlers keeper during the first half. The Blades continued to attack after the break, with Stuart McCall and Nick Montgomery sending shots over the top. On 68 minutes John Harley was dismissed following fouls on Danny Sonner and Darren Wrack. But in the 72nd minute the 2,000 traveling Blades Fans' were celebrating when Michael Brown broke the deadlock as he cut in from the left to smash a shot into the far top corner. Walsall tried to find a way back as Darren Bazeley drilled a 25-yard shot wide, then substitute Gareth Ainsworth put a close range header past the post and Danny Hay also headed wide. But United's defence held firm for a fourth successive league clean sheet and three valuable points.

United kept up the pressure on the promotion pack with a little help from Preston defender Graham Alexander. Alexander put a flying header into his own net after Carl Asaba had missed Michael Tonge's cross. Early on, Tyrone Mears almost got the breakthrough in the 17th minute for Preston. Page failed to halt his searing run as the Preston midfielder fired in a low strike from eight yards. Kenny managed to block the shot and when the ball was pushed across the face of the goal, Cresswell was foiled by the United keeper who scooped his close-range effort off the line. Preston's David Healy had a long-range strike cut out by Kenny before United broke quickly - Peter Ndlovu firing his 30-yard effort straight at the waiting David Lucas with Steven Kabba in space. Kabba almost snatched the lead in the 31st minute as he strained to meet Jon Harley's cross, but Lucas finger-tipped his header over the bar. Neil Warnock sent on leading scorer Asaba as a third striker in place of midfielder Nick Montgomery in the second half. The Blades were soon on top again and Lucas was called into action to save a shot from Kabba. Healy fired a right-foot shot wide of the target from Alexander's free-kick and was inches away from connecting with a Mears. Then, Kabba found a way through twisting past his marker to finish with a low shot on the turn that was cut out by the diving Lucas. United went ahead in the 58th minute. Cresswell in United's 18 yard box went down after a challenge by Shaun Murphy, Cresswell was clearly looking for a penalty and the referee correctly dismissed the claim. The Blades swept upfield, Michael Tonge firing in a vicious cross from the right and Alexander, trying to clear, produced a diving header to send the ball into his own net. Preston team surrounded the referee, protesting over the earlier penalty decision. Colin Murdock was booked for dissent and Mark Rankine was shown a red card for remarks made to the referee. Late in the game, Cresswell was denied a late goal when Blades keeper Paddy Kenny tipped his late header around the post. United hung on for a deserved victory, this win keeps the Blades in 5th position in the promotion chase.

Paul Peschisolido struck twice in two minutes to fire the Blades into the semi-finals of the League Cup for the first time in their history. The quarter-final thriller looked to be heading for extra-time after Blades skipper Robert Page was adjudged to have conceded an own goal to cancel out a first-half strike from Carl Asaba. But Peschisolido grabbed a goal within a couple of minutes of replacing Asaba before netting again moments later. Michael Tonge drilled in a far-post cross which Phil Jagielka headed back across goal for Asaba to nip in ahead of the defenders and divert the ball into the net. It was his ninth goal of the campaign but first in the competition and had the majority of the 22,211 crowd scenting that first appearance in the semi-final stage. Palace could quite easily have found themselves level within eight minutes of the restart as they fashioned a succession of decent chances. Kit Symons was left unmarked from a corner only to see his header rebound off a Blades defender. United were pinned back as Palace responded to the first half setback with and impressive start to the second half. Andy Johnson twice threatened to produce a leveller. Six minutes after the restart he burst down the right and rifled an angled shot but Paddy Kenny did well producing a diving save. And four minutes later when Johnson worked his way in from the left he threaded a low shot through a crowd by Kenny made another good stop. Ndlovu twice eased the pressure on the home side as he hit Palace on the break. First he tumbled under a challenge outside of the area by Kolinko and then he hit a 20-yard shot that struck a Palace defender and deflected out. Tonge came close to making the game safe on 76 minutes as he dribbled his way into the area and produced a fierce shot that Danny Butterfield blocked on the line and somehow saw it lob over the bar. Paddy Kenny produced a fingertip save to deny Hayden Mullins as the Palace skipper fired in a low shot. He could do nothing about the own goal when a cross from Tommy Black trickled over the line out of Kenny's reach after bouncing off Robert Page. It set the stage for Peschisolido to grab the glory and to leave Trevor Francis' men shattered.

The Blades have now gone seven games without defeat after ending Reading's run of seven successive games without conceding a goal. United threatened as early as the fourth minute when Nick Montgomery fired in a shot that was tipped over by Reading's keeper Marcus Hahnemann, and from the corner central defender Robert Page headed over. Michael Tonge, who played for the England Under-20s side in midweek, was in the thick of the action and his through-ball to the speedy Steven Kabba produced a saving tackle from Adie Williams. Reading found opportunities hard to come by, but Nicky Forster drilled in a shot that brought Paddy Kenny into action. The Blades were soon on the offensive and Harley pressed forward for a shot that Hahnemann managed to tip round the post. Reading's Andy Hughes headed wide before Forster struck a fierce shot which just missed. In the 59th minute defender Jon Harley scored from close range past Hahnemann. It was the first goal that Hahnemann had conceded for 749 minutes. Fourteen minutes from the end he conceded a second. Peter Ndlovu sent over a cross which Dean Windass headed into the Reading net. It was the last game that Windass will play for United as he comes to the end of a one-month loan spell from Middlesbrough. The Blades played some superb football and made promotion chasing Reading look ordinary, Again United’s defensive pairing of Page and Murphy were on top form. And with the blades rivals in the promotion pack faltering, United moved up to 5th place in Division One.

United got a well earned point against a promotion seeking Leicester City side at the Walkers Stadium. And it was the Blades who came closest to clinching the points when Steven Kabba rattled the upright after just seven minutes. Dean Windass had the first chance of the game but his 25-yard free-kick flew over the crossbar while Paul Dickov was the first try his luck for the Foxes. Both teams hit the woodwork in a hard fought game. After seven minutes United almost took the lead when Steven Kabba crashed a first half shot against the crossbar. Shortly after that the midfielder Stuart McCall failed to hit the target with a right-foot effort from distance. The Blades continued to look impressive in the early stages and Windass prodded the ball wide from close range after 13 minutes. Leicester failed to seriously test Blades goalkeeper Paddy Kenny in the opening half hour before Billy McKinlay finally had a right-foot shot from the edge of the area. Five minutes before the break Leicester manager Micky Adams took off Trevor Benjamin and replaced him with Nicky Summerbee in what appeared to be a tactical switch. Leicester had to wait until the 43rd minute for their first real chance when forward Paul Dickov saw his right-foot shot saved by Kenny's legs. Summerbee headed wide just a minute after the interval before Kenny saved Gerry Taggert's effort following a corner. The defender went close again after 49 minutes as Leicester surged forward looking for the breakthrough. Scowcroft twice tried his luck and McKinlay volleyed wide from just outside the area as the Foxes began to dictate proceedings. Muzzy Izzet saw a goal bound header cleared off the line by Stuart McCall and Dickov again saw a late chance saved by the outstanding Paddy Kenny. United we pinned back in their own half for much of the second half, but United showed resilience and some excellent defending, particularly from Shaun Murphy, which helped United get a very respectable draw.

United claimed another Premiership scalp with a lightning second half spell that produced two goals to put them into the quarter finals of the League Cup. Neil Warnock had to re-shuffle his side with Dean Windass, on loan from Middlesbrough, and Steven Kabba cup tied. In front of 27,068 and an electric atmosphere, the Blades carved out an early chance. Midfielder Peter Ndlovu, with a strong run down the right forced a corner, Michael Tonge picked out Murphy who powered his header wide from eight yards. The Black Cats escaped again minutes later when Michael Tonge curled in a teasing free-kick. Murphy was the first to react lunging at the ball and stabbing it a foot wide of the target with Jurgen Macho stranded on his line. The outstanding Paddy Kenny saved United as Kevin Kyle threaded his way through the Blades rearguard before finishing with a stinging shot from the edge of the area blocked by the United keeper. Then, a blunder in the Sunderland defence let in Tonge who cut inside to find a gap before firing in a right foot shot from 18 yards which was cut out by Sunderland goalkeeper Jurgen Macho. The Black Cats threatened when David Bellion surged his way to the dead-ball line. He cut back a cross for Marcus Stewart, who unleashed a half-volley which United skipper Robert Page superbly blocked. Kevin Kyle was then put clean through, but despite only Paddy Kenny to beat from 12 yards, he instead chose to play a poor ball into Stewart, allowing United to clear the danger. Such profligacy proved crucial for United as eight minutes after the restart they took the lead courtesy of a scrambled effort from Murphy. Phil Jagielka sent over a swerving cross from the right flank which Varga tried to clear. But the big defender made a mess of things crashing the ball against the face of the bar and Murphy bundled the ball over the line. Sunderland in truth looked a toothless side, and in the 56th minute United got the second they deserved. The Blades surged forward again and with a sleepy Sunderland defence still reeling after the first goal. A quick Stuart McCall free-kick was knocked out to Peter Ndlovu who floated over another perfect centre to Wayne Allison. Allison, stretching at the far post, headed the ball over the line from the tightest of angles. The Blades never looked like letting Sunderland back into the tie as Neil Warnock's men booked a place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 1972.